Amusement device



PATENT OFFICE.

GEORG-E C. WEISS, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Application led June 16,

Sl 10 all whom t may concern Be it lrnown that I, GEORGE C. lNnrss, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Oakland, in the county ofAlameda and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Amusement Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to an amusement device and has referencemore particularly to a playing surface consisting primarily of a boardon which the alphabet and various other signs or indicating charactersare written, and further including a pointer which, when the fingers ofone or more persons are lightly rested thereon, will move withoutconscious volition or effort on their part and develop mediumisticmcssages by means of the pointer cooperating with Jthe letters of thealphabet and other signs or indicating` characters on the board.

As heretofore practiced, devices of this character have usually includeda planchette or the like having a three point support on the surfacewith which it is adapted to cooperate and which when engaged by thengers of the operator is adapted to move over the surface of the boardand point out, or otherwise indicate, words and messages.

According to the present invention it is proposed to provide a pointerin lieu of the aforesaid planch ette and to pivot the pointerintermediate its ends so that it may freely swing or move in either aclockwise or anticlockwise direction and produce the same results soughtto be accomplished by the plan-- chettc, but in a more effective manner.

rlhe accompanying drawing illustrates the preferred form of reducing`the invention to practice and the figure thereon represents a pla-n viewof the device as contemplated by the invention.

Referring new to the drawing in detail, it is desired to produce playingsurface consisting of a suitable board or the like 5, and for thepurpose of added 'attractiveness it is suggested that the boardrepresent the shape of al horse shoe. Arranged around. the edge of theboard which represents the horse shoe are the indicating` characterssuch as the letters of the alphabet, a series of numbers from one to tenand the words Yes or No as well as two sets of signs which may have aspecific meaning. That part of the playing surface surrounded by thehorse shoe may be filled in with any wording, g-

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Feb; 14E, 1922 1920. Serial No.389,464.

ures, signs or other symbols and about the ycenter thereof is pivotedthe pointer 6. This pointer is of a length so that when swung or movedabout its pivot the pointing end thereof may point to or touch uponani,T one of the letters of the alphabet or the series of figures, thewords Yes or No or the two setsof signs. The opposite end of the pointeris produced with a relatively wide area, at least to the extent that thefingers of one or more operators may contact there with 1n manipulatingthe device. 'In operation should two persons desire to jointly use thedevice it is suggested that they assume confronting positions withtheboard supported between them and with their respective fingers restinglightly on the enlarged end of the pointer and oni the opposite sides ofa line extending longitudinally of the pointer. Either one of thepartlcipants may ask any question. and the theory advanced is that thepoint-er will move without conscious volitionor effort on their part andwill point out to them either through means of the signs, numbers,wording, or by spelling by means of letters of the adphabet, the answerto their question.

ldlhen a single participant uses the device he shouldsupport the boardin front, of him with his fingers resting lightly on the enlarged end ofthe pointer whereupon the same results will be accomplished as in thecase of two participants.r

An improved feature of the invention resides in the pivotal mounting ofthe pointer which permits the same to move over the surface to itsvarious indicating positions with a minimum et' friction.

I claim:

In a device of the character described, a flat smooth playing surface,comprising a board representing a horseshoe with indicating charactersincluding letters ef the alphabet, a series of numbers, words. andsigns, arranged around the semicircular edge of the horseshoe; a thinfiat pointer pivoted intermediate its ends concentric of the playingsurface and having a pointing end with its opposite end embodying anenlarged flat surface adapted to be engaged by the fingers of one ormore players in effecting a manipulation of the pointing end in(3o-operation with the indicating characters for the purpose described.

GEORGE C. WEISS.

